Eccentric animal lover moves pony into semi-detached house

An eccentric animal-lover has infuriated her neighbours by moving a pony into
her semi-detached home.

Stephanie Noble has infuriated her neighbours by moving a pony into her semi-detached homePhoto: Michael Merritt

By Auslan Cramb, Scottish Correspondent

11:13AM GMT 11 Jan 2012

Stephanie Noble, a 65-year-old divorcee, claims she was forced to take drastic action after falling out with the owner of the land on which the mare previously grazed.

She said Grey Lady Too, a Connemara pony, was "dumped" on the lawn at her former council house in the Western Isles on Christmas Eve.

After a sleepless night, she spent Christmas Day moving furniture to make space for the animal in her home.

The pensioner has since had the ceiling braced, added a gate to contain the pony and turned her adjoining kitchen, otherwise well stocked with herbs and spices, into a grain store.

The 15ft by 12ft lounge has an 8.5ft by 9ft area for the pony, with dining room chairs holding its fodder, and a view to the main road from a window.

Ms Noble, a qualified riding instructor, has moved upstairs in the two-bedroom house and says she removes manure "as it happens".

She insists she has the best-kept pony in the north of Scotland, but according to neighbours in the village of Back, on the Isle of Lewis, the animal should be taken from her.

The Scottish SPCA urged her to hand over the pony, and she has been visited by the local environmental health department.

But she insisted yesterday that she was doing nothing wrong. "If I want to even keep an elephant in the house I can," she said.

"I have had nothing but stick from people because it is unconventional.

"Grey Lady Too is very happy. She goes out to the lawn, though she has eaten a couple of the neighbour's plants, and comes back in by herself.

"The situation is not ideal, but it is safe and secure for her. I have lost almost two stone in weight with the worry and this was the safest option."

Ms Noble, originally from Ireland, said nobody would allow her to use their barns and she did not want the pony damaging property or hurting someone.

"I am hoping it's a temporary arrangement, but who knows? I would love somebody to come up with suitable nearby grazing."

She said she paid pounds1,850 for the pony, which she hopes to breed, and initially kept it on land a few miles from her home.

She later decided the grazing was not suitable and moved it to another village before falling out with the landowner in a dispute over payment.

Asked if she had considered handing it over to the SSPCA, she replied: "No way. They had to accept that she is actually the best cared-for pony in the north of Scotland.

"She is not distressed and is nice and warm every night. Which other ponies and horses are as warm as mine?"

She said she used a "lot of cat litter and hay" on the floor on top of rubber mats and changed the straw and disinfected the room every day.

Outside, there are piles of manure in the garden, which has been churned up by hoof prints.

One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: "We are shocked that the environmental health or animal cruelty people have not intervened, even if it is her own home.

Another added: "There are potentially serious health issues and I believe Western Isles Council is wrong to play softly-softly and is failing in its duty to the rest of us by allowing this farce to continue.

"She has been here for eight or nine years and has upset many people in that time. There are neighbours from hell, and then there is Ms Stephanie Noble."

However, another horse owner in the area said the "outspoken" animal lover was "struggling" and needed help.

Gill MacGregor, of the SSPCA, said: "We do hope that Ms Noble finds the appropriate livery for her pony so that they can remain together but, in the event that this does not happen, we hope she will consider our offer in the best interests of the animal."

In another twist, Ms Noble confirmed she had been arrested during an altercation over access to a shed for the pony. She also said she was facing an allegation of drink driving, but was hoping to show there were extenuating circumstances.